Apple TV Refresh: 9 Wishes

Signs indicate Apple is prepping a new Apple TV. Here's how Apple can make its media player a winner.

Apple Mac Pro: 9 Ways It Wows

(Click image for larger view.)

Apple created a dedicated shopping category for Apple TV this week, fueling speculation that the media player could be due for a significant upgrade.

The move follows a flurry of reports that Apple could introduce a new version of Apple TV as soon as March. The product's heightened profile in the online story also coincided with Apple's mixed earnings report, in which strong sales numbers were offset by signs of flagging iPhone and iPad growth. Apple still commands revenue streams and margins that most companies would kill for, but after years of excellent-but-incremental product updates, both investors and customers are eager for a new game-changing product.

Steve Jobs, the late Apple founder and CEO, harbored grand ambitions for Apple TV. He famously said he hoped Apple TV would join the iPhone, iPod, and Mac as a fundamental company pillar. Since then, Apple execs sometimes have referred to Apple TV as a "hobby," even as the device has quietly become quite popular.

In December, Apple CEO Tim Cook said major product announcements will arrive this year. He reiterated the point this week when the company announced quarterly earnings. If a new Apple TV product is in the cards, here are nine ways, including some rumored to be imminent, that Apple can transform its "hobby" into a game changer.

1. Apple TV soon could boast an iOS-like app ecosystem.Apple's current Apple TV app catalogue includes essential titles such as HBO Go and Netflix, but the process for submitting new titles isn't very open, and the Apple TV software developers' kit is fairly limited. The iPhone and iPad didn't become popular purely through their beautiful hardware and iOS's intuitive interface; developers deserve credit, too. If Apple gives developers the opportunity to bring their creativity to Apple TV, the company could be poised for another hit product, especially if the next model includes hardware enhancements to give app makers more tools. Numerous online reports, most recently from the website 9to5mac, indicate Apple is likely to follow this route.

2. The next Apple TV might qualify as a gaming machine.Games have contributed mightily to the success of iOS's app model, and the same could happen for Apple TV. Both 9to5mac and the website iLounge recently published reports, each citing unidentified inside sources, that claim gaming will play a big role in the next Apple TV. iLounge said developers are working on controllers for the device, but did not mention whether these would be standalone units, or, as in the current crop of accessories created via Apple's MFi program, exist as attachments to iPhones and iPads. It's also not clear if games would be stored locally or in the cloud.

Following recent changes, Apple now features Apple TV more prominently in its online store.

3. Apple TV needs unified search.Currently, Apple TV users can generally search only within the app they're using. If you want to watch a movie and it isn't available through the current app, in other words, you'll have to jump to another app to continue your search. And if the movie isn't available in that app, you'll have to jump again. The experience would be much more satisfying if Apple TV allowed you to search Netflix, Hulu, and HBO all at once, rather than moving from service to service. A global search function hasn't featured prominently in any recent rumors, but one can hope.

4. Apple TV might integrate motion controls.The Apple rumor mill has been buzzing about possible Apple TV motion controls since late last year, when the company acquired PrimeSense, maker of the Xbox's Kinect sensor. If Apple were to implement a motion sensor, it would certainly give developers more flexibility to rapidly expand the platform.

5. Apple TV should get cozy with Siri.The Xbox One's voice controls have met with somewhat mixed marks, but many would welcome an Apple TV equipped with Siri. The iOS digital assistant would be moderately useful if she could obey simple commands, such as "Open Netflix," but if she were to tap into an app-spanning global search function or provide new opportunities for developers, Siri could quickly become a TV star.

I don't see any reason why Apple would want to sell a TV rather than equipment that plugs into the TV. TVs sell for a significant sum but tend not to be replaced very often. People are much more willing to throw $99 or so every few years at some accessory to gain access to new capabilities. The one scenario that might be appealing to the company would be making a TV no one else could connect to without Apple permission...but I doubt consumers would go for that.

Michael, A big wild card seems to be the cable companies. Ordering stations a la carte would be fabulous, but would gut the Comcast et al business model. If Apple could make a deal with the cable companies or better yet, figure out a way to bypass them (Aereo?) now THAT would be a game changer.

Among 688 respondents, 46% have deployed mobile apps, with an additional 24% planning to in the next year. Soon all apps will look like mobile apps – and it's past time for those with no plans to get cracking.